Varying a zoom level of an image recorded with a lens having a fixed zoom level

ABSTRACT

Presented here is a system and method to record images having varying zoom levels using a lens having a substantially fixed zoom level. The resulting image can have varying zoom levels and can be of high quality. The light sensor recording the image can have a resolution higher than the desired resolution of the resulting image. The high resolution of the light sensor allows digital zooming, i.e., cropping of the image. The light sensor can operate in two modes, where each mode produces varying resolutions of the resulting image. Operating the light sensor in the mode producing a high resolution of the resulting image, however, does not produce images of satisfactory quality in low light conditions, and the light sensor may need to be switched between the first and the second mode depending on the zoom level and the lighting conditions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 16/564,985 filed Sep. 9, 2019, which claimspriority to the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/741,987filed Oct. 5, 2018, the contents of all are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application is related to cameras, and more specifically tomethods and systems that enable a lens having a fixed zoom level torecord images having varying zoom levels.

BACKGROUND

Cameras are ubiquitous in today's mobile devices. However, the mobiledevice cameras produce images of inferior quality as compared tostandalone cameras because the mobile device cameras do not allow a userto change lenses and record an image using a lens best suited for theimage. Further, the lenses of the mobile device cameras have a fixedzoom level and do not allow an optical zoom. For example, the usercannot use a single lens on a cell phone to zoom in on an object ofinterest. Further, the user cannot optically zoom the single lens of themobile device camera to obtain a high-resolution image of the object ofinterest. Consequently, the mobile device cameras do not producehigh-quality images when the zoom level varies.

SUMMARY

Presented here is a system and method to record images having varyingzoom levels using a lens having a substantially fixed zoom level. Theresulting image can have varying zoom levels and can be of high quality.The light sensor recording the image can have a resolution higher thanthe desired resolution of the resulting image, for example four or eighttimes higher than the desired resolution of the resulting image. Thehigh resolution of the light sensor allows digital zooming, i.e.,cropping of the image, without degradation of image quality.

The light sensor can operate in two modes, where each mode producesvarying resolutions of the resulting image. In the first mode, theresulting image can have a smaller resolution than the light sensor,because measurements made by neighboring sub-sensors can be combinedinto a single pixel in the resulting image. In the second mode, theresulting image can have the same resolution as the light sensor,because each measurement made by a sub-sensor of the light sensor canbecome a pixel in the resulting image. In embodiments, for optimalresults the light sensor may be switched between the first and thesecond mode depending on the zoom level and the lighting conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

FIG. 1 shows a mobile device with a lens.

FIGS. 2A-2B show the two modes associated with the dual-mode lightsensor.

FIG. 3 shows how to achieve a factor of 2 zoom using a lens having afixed zoom level.

FIGS. 4A-4B show the difference between using the first mode and thesecond mode to obtain a zoom using a lens having a fixed zoom level.

FIGS. 5A-5B show the difference between using the first mode and thesecond mode in low light conditions.

FIG. 6 shows a table indicating whether to use the first mode or thesecond mode depending on lighting conditions and zoom level.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method to record an image having a varyingzoom level using a lens having a substantially fixed zoom level.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example formof a computer system 800 within which a set of instructions, for causingthe machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies or modulesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Presented here is a system and method to record images having varyingzoom levels using a lens having a substantially fixed zoom level. Theresulting image can have varying zoom levels and can be of high quality.The light sensor recording the image can have a resolution higher thanthe desired resolution of the resulting image, for example four or eighttimes higher than the desired resolution of the resulting image. Thehigh resolution of the light sensor allows digital zooming, i.e.,cropping of the image, without degradation of image quality.

The light sensor can operate in two modes, where each mode producesvarying resolutions of the resulting image. In the first mode, theresulting image can have a smaller resolution than the light sensor,because measurements made by neighboring sub-sensors can be combinedinto a single pixel in the resulting image. In the second mode, theresulting image can have the same resolution as the light sensor,because each measurement made by a sub-sensor of the light sensor canbecome a pixel in the resulting image. In embodiments, for optimalresults the light sensor may be switched between the first and thesecond mode depending on the zoom level and the lighting conditions.

Varying the Zoom Level of an Image

FIG. 1 shows a mobile device with a lens. The mobile device 100, such asa cell phone, can contain a camera 110, which can be a front facing or aback facing camera. The camera 110 can contain multiple layers such as aprotective film layer 120, a lens 130, a voice-coil motor (VCM) 140, thesensor holder 150, sensor 160, glue 170, etc.

The lens 130 can be an ultra-wide angle lens or a wide angle lens andcan have a field of view of up to 100°. The lens 130 can have apredetermined focal length, i.e., a substantially fixed focal length,and a substantially fixed zoom level. In other words, the lens 130 maynot be able to zoom in and out to change the field of view, or the lens130 can have a very small zoom range such as between 1 and 1.2 zoomlevel.

The sensor 160 can be a dual-mode light sensor including multiplesub-sensors. The sensor 160 can be a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor,a CMOS sensor, or any type of image sensor. The sub-sensors can includeany type of a photosensor such as p-doped metal-oxide-semiconductors(MOS) capacitors. The sensor 160 can operate in at least two modes, asexplained below.

FIGS. 2A-2B show the two modes associated with the dual-mode lightsensor. The dual-mode light sensor 200 can be the sensor 160 in FIG. 1.Dual-mode light sensor 200 can be a Bayer filter sensor such as a quadBayer sensor. More specifically, the dual-mode light sensor can be aQuad Bayer Array sensor. The resolution of the dual-mode light sensor200 can be 48 megapixel (MP) resolution. The size of the dual-mode lightsensor 200 can be half-inch by half-inch. The dual-mode light sensor 200can include multiple sub-sensors 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 (only somelabeled for brevity). The size of the sub-sensor 210, 220, 230, 240, 250can be 0.8 μm (micrometer). The different shading on the sensors shownin FIGS. 2A-2B can correspond to different colors such as red, green,blue, yellow, magenta, cyan, etc.

FIG. 2A shows the first mode 205 of the light sensor 200. The first mode205 performs better in low light and high dynamic range situations thanthe second mode 215 shown in FIG. 2B. In the first mode 205, a 2×2arrangement of neighboring sub-sensors 220, 230, 240, 250 as shown inFIG. 2A can be combined, or binned, to produce a single measurement usedin the resulting image. Alternative arrangements of neighboringsub-sensors can be used, such as a 4×4 arrangement of neighboringsub-sensors, in which case all 16 sensors shown in FIG. 2A can produce asingle measurement used in the resulting image. In the first mode 205,the light sensor 200 can record light focused by the lens 130 in FIG. 1by combining, or binning, measurements obtained by at least twosub-sensors 220, 230 and producing an image based on the combinedmeasurement.

When the 2×2 arrangement of neighboring sub-sensors 220, 230, 240, 250as shown in FIG. 2A is used, the resolution of the resulting image isreduced by 4, for example producing a 12 megapixel image from a 48megapixel sensor. When the 4×4 arrangement of neighboring sub-sensors isused, the resolution of the resulting image is reduced by 16, forexample producing a 3 megapixel image from a 48 megapixel sensor.

FIG. 2B shows the second mode 215 of the light sensor 200. The secondmode 215 provides higher resolution but worse low light and high dynamicrange performance than the first mode 205 in FIG. 2A. In the second mode215, the light sensor 200 can record light focused by the lens byproducing an image based on a measurement obtained by a sub-sensor 210,220, 230, 240, 250, without combining readings of multiple sub-sensors210, 220, 230, 240, 250. The measurements made by the sub-sensors 210,220, 230, 240, 250 are not combined, and a measurement made by eachsub-sensor 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 can be recorded in the resultingimage. The resolution of the resulting image can match the resolution ofthe light sensor 200. For example, a 48 megapixel sensor can produce a48 megapixel image.

FIG. 3 shows how to achieve a factor of 2 zoom using a lens having afixed zoom level. The lens 130 in FIG. 1 can record the image 300 with azoom level of 1, i.e., without zoom. The desired zoom level can begreater than 1, for example 2. The desired zoom level can be specifiedby a user wanting to take a close-up picture, such as a portraitpicture, or the desired zoom level can be automatically determined basedon aesthetic considerations of the image 300.

A processor associated with the lens 130 and the sensor 160 in FIG. 1,200 in FIGS. 2A-2B can record the image 300. To obtain a zoom level of2, the processor can crop the image 300 to obtain an image 310 with halfthe resolution of the image 300. If the image 300 is taken using thefirst mode 205 in FIG. 2A, the resulting resolution of the image 310 isa quarter of the resolution of the image 300. Such a degradation inresolution and image quality can be visible to the user.

To prevent the degradation in resolution and image quality, theprocessor can record the image 300 using the second mode 215 in FIG. 2B,which can produce four times higher resolution of the image 300 than thefirst mode 205. Consequently, to obtain the image 310 having the zoomlevel of 2, the processor can record the image 300 using the second mode215, and crop the image 300 by a factor proportional to the zoom level,e.g., 2, to obtain the image 310.

FIGS. 4A-4B show the difference between using the first mode and thesecond mode to obtain a zoom using a lens having a fixed zoom level.Image 400 is obtained by operating the dual-mode light sensor 160 inFIG. 1, 200 in FIGS. 2A-2B in the first mode and cropping, while image410 is obtained by operating the dual-mode light sensor 160 in FIG. 1,200 in FIGS. 2A-2B in the second mode and cropping. As can be seen, atleast in regions 420, 430, the quality of image 410 is higher than thequality of image 400 because, for example, the aliasing and blurrinessof the letters in the regions 420, 430 is less noticeable in image 410than in image 400.

FIGS. 5A-5B show the difference between using the first mode and thesecond mode in low light conditions. The image 500 in FIG. 5A isrecorded using the first mode 205 in FIG. 2A, while image 510 in FIG. 5Bis recorded using the second mode 215 in FIG. 2B. Both images 500 and510 are recorded in low light conditions. As can be seen in images 500,510, regions 520, 530, 540 in image 500 show more detail thancorresponding regions in image 510. Regions 520, 530, 540 in image 510have higher noise-to-signal ratios in comparison to image 500, and arethus of lower quality. Consequently, in lighting conditions having lowlight, the first mode 205 in FIG. 2A should be used.

FIG. 6 shows a table indicating whether to use the first mode 205 inFIG. 2A or the second mode 215 in FIG. 2B depending on lightingconditions and zoom level. A processor associated with the sensor 160 inFIG. 1, 200 in FIGS. 2A-2B can obtain lighting conditions and a zoomlevel associated with the image and can set the dual-mode light sensor160, 200 to the first mode 205 in FIG. 2A or the second mode in 215 FIG.2B based on the lighting conditions or the zoom level associated withthe image. The lighting conditions can be measured using a photometer ora light meter such as an ambient light sensor. The zoom level can bespecified by a user, by for example specifying a type of picture such asa landscape, or a portrait. Alternatively, the processor can alsodetermine the zoom level of the image based on aesthetic concerns of theimage.

The lighting conditions can be classified into three categories, namely,bright light, mid light, and low light labeled 600, 610, 620. Brightlight 600 can encompass lighting conditions over approximately 800 lux,mid light can be between approximately 1200 lux and approximately 10lux, while low light can be less than approximately 30 lux.

The zoom level can be classified into four categories: extremely lowzoom level, represented by category 630, low zoom level represented bycategory 640, mid zoom level represented by category 650, and high zoomlevel represented by category 660. When the lighting conditions indicatelow light, the processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor 160 inFIG. 1, 200 in FIGS. 2A-2B in the first mode 205 in FIG. 2A. When thezoom level is greater than 1, the processor can upscale the image by afactor proportional to the zoom level, as shown in elements 670, 680,690. When the zoom level is 1, the upscaling factor is also 1, thusresulting in no upscale.

Upscaling or resolution enhancement is the magnification of a digitalimage. Upscaling is creating a bigger image with higher resolution. Thereason to upscale the image taken in conditions described by elements670, 680, 690 is that an image taken using the first mode 205 may needto be cropped to provide the desired zoom level as specified in elements640, 650, 660, and shown in FIG. 3. After cropping, the resolution ofthe image is reduced, and can be below a desired image resolution suchas 12 megapixels. To obtain a 12 megapixel image, the cropped image mayneed to be upscaled to 12 megapixels.

The processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 in thefirst mode 205 when the zoom level varies between a factor of 1 and 1.4,as shown in elements 605, 615, 625. When the zoom level varies between afactor of 1 and 2 and the lighting conditions indicate more lightingthan low light, the processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor inthe second mode 215 in FIG. 2B and can crop the image. The cropped imagemay need to be upscaled or downscaled, as shown in elements 635, 645.Downscaling is opposite of upscaling and involves creating an image witha smaller resolution than the original image.

For example, the cropping shown in elements 635, 645 can be done toprovide the specified zoom level. Further, the downscaling can be doneto create a resulting image of a desired resolution. The desiredresolution of a cell phone camera image can be 12 megapixels, while theresolution of the image taken in the second mode 215 and cropping can belarger or smaller than 12 megapixels. Consequently, the processor canupscale or downscale the image to obtain the resulting image at 12megapixels.

When the zoom level varies between a factor of 1.4 and 2.5 and thelighting conditions indicate more lighting than low light, the processorcan set the dual-mode light sensor to the second mode 215 and crop theimage, as shown in elements 655, 665. The cropped image may need to beupscaled or downscaled to obtain a desired image resolution.

When the zoom level is greater than a factor of 2 and the lightingconditions indicate more lighting than low light, the processor canoperate the dual-mode light sensor in the second mode 215, crop theimage, and upscale the image as shown in elements 675, 685. Theupscaling can be done to match the resolution of the image to a desiredimage resolution. For example, when the zoom level is 2, no upscaling ordownscaling is needed because a 48 megapixel sensor operated in thesecond mode 215 produces a 48 megapixel image. After cropping the imageto obtain zoom level 2, the resolution of the image becomes 12megapixels, which can be the desired image resolution. Generally, thefactor to upscale/downscale an image is proportional to the zoom leveldivided by 2. Upscaling occurs when the factor is greater than 1 anddownscaling occurs when the factor is less than 1.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method to record an image having a varyingzoom level using a lens 130 in FIG. 1 having a substantially fixed zoomlevel. In step 700, a processor can obtain lighting conditions and azoom level associated with an image. The lighting conditions can becategorized as described in FIG. 6. The zoom level can vary from anultra-wide angle to a close up. The zoom level can be different from thefixed zoom level of the lens 130.

In step 710, based on the lighting conditions, the processor candetermine a mode in which to operate a dual-mode light sensor 160 inFIG. 1, 200 in FIGS. 2A-2B including multiple sub-sensors. The dual-modelight sensor can operate in a first mode 205 in FIG. 2A to record lightfocused by the lens 130 by combining measurements obtained by at leasttwo sub-sensors among the multiple sub-sensors and can produce an imagebased on the combined measurement. To combine the measurements, theprocessor can add measurements obtained by a block of neighboringsub-sensors. The block of neighboring sub-sensors can have a squareshape including 2×2 sub-sensors or 4×4 sub-sensors, as shown in FIGS.2A-2B.

The dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 can operate in a second mode 215 inFIG. 2B, where the second mode 215 is different from the first mode. Thedual-mode light sensor 160, 200 operating in the second mode 215 canrecord light focused by the lens 130 and can produce a first image basedon a measurement obtained by a sub-sensor among the multiplesub-sensors, without combining readings of multiple sub-sensors.

In step 720, the processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor 160,200 in the determined mode. In step 730, the processor can create theimage having the obtained zoom level using a lens having a substantiallyfixed zoom level. The substantially fixed zoom level can allow a zoom ofup to approximately 1.2 zoom level. The processor can provide the imageto the user.

The processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 in thefirst mode 205 when the lighting conditions indicate low light, as shownin FIG. 6. The processor can upscale the recorded image by a factorproportional, or even equal, to the zoom level to obtain the desiredresolution.

The processor can define or obtain various categories, similar to theones described in FIG. 6, defining bright light 600, mid light 610, lowlight 620, extremely low zoom level 630, low zoom level 640, mid zoomlevel 650, and high zoom level 660. The various categories can be storedin a memory accessible to the processor. Also, the processor canautomatically define the categories by varying the zoom level andlighting conditions and determining the quality of the images recordedusing the fist mode 205 or the second mode 215 of the light sensor 160in FIG. 1, 200 in FIGS. 2A-2B.

The bright light 600 category can be defined as greater than 800 lux,the mid light 610 can be defined as between 20 lux and 2000 lux, whilethe low light 620 can be defined as less than 50 lux. The extremely lowzoom level 630 can vary between 80% and 150% of the substantially fixedzoom level. The low zoom level 640 can vary between 100% and 200% of thesubstantially fixed zoom level, the medium zoom level 650 can varybetween 120% and 250% of the substantially fixed zoom level, while thehigh zoom level 660 can be greater than 180% of the substantially fixedzoom level. The ranges defining the categories can vary based on variousfactors such as a type of the sensor 160, 200, or a type of the lens 130in FIG. 1.

The ranges defining the categories 600, 610, 620, 630, 640, 650, 660 canbe stored in a memory associated with the processor, or can beautomatically determined by varying the category ranges andautomatically determining the quality of the images taken using thefirst 205 or the second 215 mode of the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200.

The processor can operate the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 in thefirst mode 205 when the zoom level varies between a factor of 1 and 1.4.When the zoom level varies between a factor of 1 and 2 and the lightingconditions indicate more lighting than low light, the processor canoperate the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 in the second mode 215, cancrop the image by a factor proportional to the zoom level, and candownscale the image to obtain the desired resolution.

When the zoom level varies between a factor of 1.4 and 2.5 and thelighting conditions indicate more lighting than low light, the processorcan set the dual-mode light sensor 160, 200 to the second mode 215, cancrop the image by a factor proportional to the zoom level and candownscale or upscaled image to obtain the desired resolution.

When the zoom level is greater than a factor of 2 and the lightingconditions indicate more lighting than low light, the processor canoperate the dual-mode light sensor in the second mode 215, can crop theimage by a factor proportional to the zoom level, and can upscale theimage by a factor proportional to the zoom level.

Computer

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example formof a computer system 800 within which a set of instructions, for causingthe machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies or modulesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

In the example of FIG. 8, the computer system 800 includes a processor,memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device. Various commoncomponents (e.g., cache memory) are omitted for illustrative simplicity.The computer system 800 is intended to illustrate a hardware device onwhich any of the components described in the example of FIGS. 1-7 (andany other components described in this specification) can beimplemented. The computer system 800 can be of any applicable known orconvenient type. The components of the computer system 800 can becoupled together via a bus or through some other known or convenientdevice.

The processor of the computer system 800 can be the processor executingthe various steps described in this application, such as stepsassociated with FIG. 7. The main memory, the nonvolatile memory and/orthe drive unit with the computer system 800 can store the instructionsneeded to execute the various steps described in this application. Thecomputer system 800 can be associated with the mobile phone 100 in FIG.1.

This disclosure contemplates the computer system 800 taking any suitablephysical form. As example and not by way of limitation, computer system800 may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), asingle-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, acomputer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computersystem, a laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, amainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobile telephone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a server, or a combination of two or more ofthese. Where appropriate, computer system 800 may include one or morecomputer systems 800; be unitary or distributed; span multiplelocations; span multiple machines; or reside in a cloud, which mayinclude one or more cloud components in one or more networks. Whereappropriate, one or more computer systems 800 may perform withoutsubstantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not byway of limitation, one or more computer systems 800 may perform in realtime or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods describedor illustrated herein. One or more computer systems 800 may perform atdifferent times or at different locations one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate.

The processor may be, for example, a conventional microprocessor such asan Intel Pentium microprocessor or Motorola power PC microprocessor. Oneof skill in the relevant art will recognize that the terms“machine-readable (storage) medium” or “computer-readable (storage)medium” include any type of device that is accessible by the processor.

The memory is coupled to the processor by, for example, a bus. Thememory can include, by way of example but not limitation, random accessmemory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM) and static RAM (SRAM). Thememory can be local, remote, or distributed.

The bus also couples the processor to the non-volatile memory and driveunit. The non-volatile memory is often a magnetic floppy or hard disk, amagnetic-optical disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), suchas a CD-ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM, a magnetic or optical card, or anotherform of storage for large amounts of data. Some of this data is oftenwritten, by a direct memory access process, into memory during executionof software in the computer 800. The non-volatile storage can be local,remote, or distributed. The non-volatile memory is optional becausesystems can be created with all applicable data available in memory. Atypical computer system will usually include at least a processor,memory, and a device (e.g., a bus) coupling the memory to the processor.

Software is typically stored in the non-volatile memory and/or the driveunit. Indeed, storing an entire large program in memory may not even bepossible. Nevertheless, it should be understood that for software torun, if necessary, it is moved to a computer readable locationappropriate for processing, and for illustrative purposes, that locationis referred to as the memory in this paper. Even when software is movedto the memory for execution, the processor will typically make use ofhardware registers to store values associated with the software, andlocal cache that, ideally, serves to speed up execution. As used herein,a software program is assumed to be stored at any known or convenientlocation (from non-volatile storage to hardware registers) when thesoftware program is referred to as “implemented in a computer-readablemedium.” A processor is considered to be “configured to execute aprogram” when at least one value associated with the program is storedin a register readable by the processor.

The bus also couples the processor to the network interface device. Theinterface can include one or more of a modem or network interface. Itwill be appreciated that a modem or network interface can be consideredto be part of the computer system 800. The interface can include ananalog modem, ISDN modem, cable modem, token ring interface, satellitetransmission interface (e.g. “direct PC”), or other interfaces forcoupling a computer system to other computer systems. The interface caninclude one or more input and/or output devices. The I/O devices caninclude, by way of example but not limitation, a keyboard, a mouse orother pointing device, disk drives, printers, a scanner, and other inputand/or output devices, including a display device. The display devicecan include, by way of example but not limitation, a cathode ray tube(CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or some other applicable known orconvenient display device. For simplicity, it is assumed thatcontrollers of any devices not depicted in the example of FIG. 8 residein the interface.

In operation, the computer system 800 can be controlled by operatingsystem software that includes a file management system, such as a diskoperating system. One example of operating system software withassociated file management system software is the family of operatingsystems known as Windows® from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.,and its associated file management systems. Another example of operatingsystem software with its associated file management system software isthe Linux™ operating system and its associated file management system.The file management system is typically stored in the non-volatilememory and/or drive unit and causes the processor to execute the variousacts required by the operating system to input and output data and tostore data in the memory, including storing files on the non-volatilememory and/or drive unit.

Some portions of the detailed description may be presented in terms ofalgorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bitswithin a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their workto others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to adesired result. The operations are those requiring physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily,these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capableof being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwisemanipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasonsof common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion,it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizingterms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or“determining” or “displaying” or “generating” or the like, refer to theaction and processes of a computer system, or similar electroniccomputing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented asphysical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registersand memories into other data similarly represented as physicalquantities within the computer system memories or registers or othersuch information storage, transmission or display devices.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specializedapparatus to perform the methods of some embodiments. The requiredstructure for a variety of these systems will appear from thedescription below. In addition, the techniques are not described withreference to any particular programming language, and variousembodiments may thus be implemented using a variety of programminglanguages.

In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone deviceor may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networkeddeployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or aclient machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peermachine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personalcomputer (PC), a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a set-top box (STB), apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, an iPhone, aBlackberry, a processor, a telephone, a web appliance, a network router,switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set ofinstructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be takenby that machine.

While the machine-readable medium or machine-readable storage medium isshown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shouldbe taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches andservers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encodingor carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and thatcause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies ormodules of the presently disclosed technique and innovation.

In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of thedisclosure may be implemented as part of an operating system or aspecific application, component, program, object, module or sequence ofinstructions referred to as “computer programs.” The computer programstypically comprise one or more instructions set at various times invarious memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when readand executed by one or more processing units or processors in acomputer, cause the computer to perform operations to execute elementsinvolving the various aspects of the disclosure.

Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of fullyfunctioning computers and computer systems, those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of beingdistributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that thedisclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of machineor computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution.

Further examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readablemedia, or computer-readable (storage) media include but are not limitedto recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memorydevices, floppy and other removable disks, hard disk drives, opticaldisks (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD-ROMS), Digital VersatileDisks, (DVDs), etc.), among others, and transmission type media such asdigital and analog communication links.

In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change instate from a binary one to a binary zero or vice versa, for example, maycomprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Withparticular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation maycomprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state orthing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memorydevices, a change in state may involve an accumulation and storage ofcharge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices,a change of state may comprise a physical change or transformation inmagnetic orientation or a physical change or transformation in molecularstructure, such as from crystalline to amorphous or vice versa. Theforegoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list in which a change instate for a binary one to a binary zero or vice versa in a memory devicemay comprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation.Rather, the foregoing are intended as illustrative examples.

A storage medium typically may be non-transitory or comprise anon-transitory device. In this context, a non-transitory storage mediummay include a device that is tangible, meaning that the device has aconcrete physical form, although the device may change its physicalstate. Thus, for example, non-transitory refers to a device remainingtangible despite this change in state.

Remarks

The language used in the specification has been principally selected forreadability and instructional purposes, and it may not have beenselected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Itis therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not bythis Detailed Description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of variousembodiments is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of thescope of the embodiments, which is set forth in the following claims.

1. A method to record an image having a varying zoom level using a lenshaving a fixed zoom level, the method comprising: obtaining lightingconditions and a zoom level associated with the image wherein theobtained zoom level is different from the fixed zoom level; based on thelighting conditions, operating a light sensor comprising a plurality ofsub-sensors to record light focused by the lens by combiningmeasurements obtained by at least two sub-sensors in the plurality ofsub-sensors and producing a first image based on the combinedmeasurement; creating the image having the obtained zoom level using thelens having the fixed zoom level.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: based on the lighting conditions, determining a mode inwhich to operate said light sensor, said light sensor configured tooperate in a first mode to record light focused by a lens by combiningmeasurements obtained by at least two sub-sensors in the plurality ofsub-sensors and producing the image based on the combined measurement,and the light sensor configured to operate in a second mode differentfrom the first mode; and operating the light sensor in the determinedmode.
 3. The method of claim 2, comprising: operating the light sensorin the second mode by recording light focused by the lens and producingthe image based on a measurement obtained by a sub-sensor in theplurality of sub-sensors.
 4. The method of claim 2, comprising:operating the light sensor in the first mode and upscaling the imagewhen the lighting conditions indicate low light.
 5. The method of claim2, comprising: operating the light sensor in the first mode when thezoom level is within an extremely low zoom level.
 6. The method of claim2, comprising: when the zoom level is within a low zoom level and thelighting conditions indicate more lighting than low light, operating thelight sensor in the second mode, cropping the image, and downscaling theimage.
 7. The method of claim 2, comprising: when the zoom level iswithin a medium zoom level and the lighting conditions indicate morelighting than low light, setting the light sensor to the second mode andcropping the image.
 8. The method of claim 2, comprising: when the zoomlevel is within a high zoom level and the lighting conditions indicatemore lighting than low light, operating the light sensor in the secondmode, cropping the image, and upscaling the image.
 9. The method ofclaim 2, said combining the measurements obtained by at least twosub-sensors comprising: adding measurements obtained by a plurality ofneighboring sub-sensors.
 10. The method of claim 9, the plurality ofneighboring sub-sensors having a square shape including 2×2 sub-sensorsor 4×4 sub-sensors.
 11. A system comprising: a lens having apredetermined focal length and a substantially fixed zoom level; a lightsensor comprising a plurality of sub-sensors, the light sensorconfigured to record light focused by the lens by combining measurementsobtained by at least two sub-sensors in the plurality of sub-sensors andproducing an image based on the combined measurement.
 12. The system ofclaim 11, comprising: a processor configured to obtain lightingconditions and a zoom level associated with the image and to set thelight sensor based on the lighting conditions or the zoom levelassociated with the image.
 13. The system of claim 11, comprising: thelight sensor configured to record light focused by the lens by producingthe image based on a measurement obtained by a sub-sensor in theplurality of sub-sensors.
 14. The system of claim 11, when the lightingconditions indicate low light, the processor configured to operate thelight sensor to upscale the image by a factor proportional to the zoomlevel.
 15. The system of claim 11, when the zoom level varies within anextremely low zoom level, the processor configured to operate the lightsensor in a first mode.
 16. The system of claim 11, when the zoom levelvaries within a low zoom level and the lighting conditions indicate morelighting than low light, the processor configured to set the lightsensor to a first mode to crop and to downscale the image.
 17. Thesystem of claim 11, when the zoom level varies within a medium zoomlevel and the lighting conditions indicate more lighting than low light,the processor configured to operate the light sensor in a second modeand to crop the image.
 18. The system of claim 11, when the zoom levelvaries within a high zoom level and the lighting conditions indicatemore lighting than low light, the processor configured to operate thelight sensor in a second mode, to crop and to upscale the image.
 19. Thesystem of claim 11, the light sensor configured to combine themeasurements obtained by at least two sub-sensors comprising the lightsensor configured to add the measurements obtained by a plurality ofneighboring sub-sensors.
 20. The system of claim 17, the plurality ofneighboring sub-sensors having a square shape including 2×2 sub-sensorsor 4×4 sub-sensors.
 21. The system of claim 11, the lens comprising awide angle lens.